Monday, July 1, 2013

Boston mob boss James 'Whitey" Bulger. Bulger is accused of participating in 19 killings during the 1970s and ‘80s. He has pleaded not guilty to 32 counts of racketeering and extortion, among other charges.

Former FBI agent John Morris fought to control his voice as he made a dramatic apology Monday to the family of a man allegedly killed by James "Whitey" Bulger after Morris let it slip that the man was an informant.

Morris testified at Bulger’s racketeering trial that he told a fellow FBI agent that Edward “Brian” Halloran was feeding the agency information about the Boston crime boss.

Halloran and Michael Donahue — an innocent bystander who had offered Halloran a ride home — were gunned down on the South Boston waterfront, allegedly by Bulger, who was afraid Halloran was talking about the earlier murder of an Oklahoma businessman.

Morris had told rogue FBI agent John Connolly, Bulger’s handler and enabler, that Halloran was talking.

Morris’ voice broke as he told Donahue’s widow and three sons, “not a day in my life has gone by that I haven’t thought about this.”

Patricia Donahue, left , and her son Michael Donahue, right, are the wife, and son, respectively, of Michael Donahue, who was allegedly murdered by accused Boston mob boss James 'Whitey' Bulger.

Bulger is accused of participating in 19 killings during the 1970s and ‘80s. He has pleaded not guilty to 32 counts of racketeering and extortion, among other charges.

He was followed by Stephen Davis, whose sister Debbie Davis was allegedly strangled by Bulger because she knew too much about his criminal activities.

During cross-examination by defense attorney Henry Brennan, Morris said he learned Halloran was an informant when two other FBI agents asked if he was a credible source.

Morris said no, but then later went to Connolly for a second opinion — unwittingly making Halloran a marked man.John Morris, a retired, corrupt FBI supervisor, and an unknown woman arrive on the day that Morris is expected to testify in the trial of accused Boston mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger.

“It was spontaneous. It just happened. And I wish it hadn’t,” Morris said of his conversation with Connolly. “He came in and I asked him his opinion.”

Morris believed Halloran was in a safe house and soon to be enrolled in the federal witness protection program, he said.

But Halloran was rejected for witness protection and returned to the streets, largely due to Morris's statement about his credibility.

Morris said he never told anyone that he felt Bulger was responsible for the murders — even though an innocent man was charged with killing Halloran and Donohue.